Backup cameras or rear view cameras have been produced for the purpose of being attached to the rear of a vehicle to aid in backing up, to alleviate the rear blind spot, and specifically to avoid a backup collision.
The first production automobiles to incorporate backup cameras were in the early 1990's. Over the years, backup cameras became more common as factory accessories on passenger cars and trucks, as well as aftermarket accessories.
In a 2010 report, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) stated that each year 210 people die and 15,000 are injured in light-vehicle backup incidents, with about 31% of the deaths among kids under age 5 and 26% adults over 70.
In March of 2014, NHTSA announced that it would require all automobiles sold in the United States built beginning in May 2018 to include “rear-view visibility systems,” in effect, requiring backup cameras. The rule follows an outcry from consumer groups and by families touched by tragic back-over accidents, especially those involving children.
The backup camera on a pickup truck is typically mounted on the back of the tailgate. Anytime the tailgate is down the backup camera is rotated 90 degrees from its original position. This means it is pointing down towards the ground and the backup camera is no longer usable. Furthermore, a pickup truck with a large load like a camper needs the backup camera more than ever as objects behind the truck are even more difficult-to-see. Unfortunately, most pickup trucks fitted with campers require the tailgate to be in the down position and the backup camera becomes inoperable.
Backup cameras on pickup trucks suffer from these disadvantages; therefore there remains a considerable need for an improved system that provides rear visibility anytime the tailgate is down. Accordingly, such a system is disclosed herein.